Buddhist Temple Cuisine (Si Miao Cai / 寺庙菜)

Ancient Chinese Buddhist traditions — particularly monasteries of Shaolin, Wudang, and various Buddhist sites

Chinese Buddhist temple cuisine (zhai cai) is a sophisticated vegan tradition that abstains from the 'five pungents' (wu hun): onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, and chives — considered to stimulate aggression. Instead, it relies on naturally savoury ingredients: fermented soybeans, mushrooms, lotus seeds, tofu preparations, and seasonal vegetables. High-end temple cuisine features 'mock meat' preparations using tofu skin, seitan, and taro to mimic the appearance and texture of meat.

• Japanese shojin ryori (Buddhist temple cuisine)
• Indian Jain cuisine (similarly avoids root vegetables)
• Korean temple cuisine (dangjae jinsa)

Clean, subtly complex without pungent aromatics; umami from fermented products; naturally sweet from seasonal vegetables — a fundamentally different flavour philosophy